KPCC team visits family members of former DCC treasurer NM Vijayan

Wayanad: A four-member team of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) paid a visit to the protesting family members of former DCC treasurer N M Vijayan and his son Jijesh, who recently committed suicide, on Wednesday.

They visited Vijayan's son Vijesh and daughter-in-law on Wednesday. Vijayan allegedly took on significant debt while sourcing funds for prominent Congress leaders to support party operations, driving him to take the extreme step. 

Prior to the meeting, the team comprising veteran Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, KPCC working president T N Prathapan, Political Affairs Committee member Sunny Joseph and KPCC general secretary K Jayanth had an hour-long discussion with district-level leadership at the DCC office at Kalpetta. They unanimously urged the district leadership to take all necessary steps to address the concerns of Vijayan's family. 

Vijesh had revealed to the media on Tuesday that the KPCC president K Sudhakaran and Opposition leader V D Satheesan had cold-shouldered them during a visit. "Although the KPCC president was not ready to give us any assurance, the Opposition leader behaved with us in a hostile manner," Vijesh said. He had released two of Vijayan's suicide notes to the media as the Congress leadership failed to react positively to their demands. Vijesh's open criticism led to the hasty formation of a high-power committee and a visit as part of a fact-finding mission. 

However, after meeting the family members, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told the media that all the issues between the family and the party had been settled once and for all. 

Later, Vijesh told the media that they were still with the Congress party, his father's party. The party leadership had assured us of their support in settling the financial issues as soon as possible, he said.

Though the family may keep mum on the issue for a few days, settling Vijayan's more than Rs 1 crore debt would be a herculean task for the party. The cases registered at Sulthan Bathery police station by victims scammed by false promises of a job in the Urban Bank will continue to haunt Congress.

Meanwhile, the CPM is organising protests at the office of the Sulthan Bathery MLA I C Balakrishnan. The DYFI will march to the office of Balakrishnan late Wednesday. New CPM district secretary K Rafeeq will inaugurate the march.